CVSS V2 0 to 4.3 (for products, SBM/SMG and DLP, running Keyview Filter out-of-process with limited privileges. IMM does ship with Keyview Filter but does not use the vulnerable process)

Impact: 2.862 Exploitability: 8.588

CVSS V2 Vector AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P

Overview
Symantec products that ship with the Verity KeyView Filter have updated the module to address a security issue being reported in the content filter processing of specifically crafted document formats.

Affected Products

Product

Version

Build

Solution(s)

Symantec Mail Security for Microsoft Exchange

6.x

All

SMSMSE 6.5.5

Or SMSMSE 6.0.12

Symantec Mail Security for Domino

8.x

All

SMSDOM 8.0.8

Symantec Mail Security for Domino

7.5.x

All

SMSDOM 8.0.8

Or SMSDOM 7.5.11

Symantec Brightmail and Messaging Gateway

9.5 and earlier

All

Symantec Messaging Gateway 9.5.1

Symantec Data Loss Prevention Enforce/Detection Servers for Windows

10.x and earlier

All

Update to Symantec DLP 10.5 and apply

Symantec_DLP_10.5.3_ReleaseUpdate_Win-IN.zip

Symantec Data Loss Prevention Enforce/Detection Servers for Linux

10.x and earlier

All

Update to Symantec DLP 10.5 and apply

Symantec_DLP_10.5.3_ReleaseUpdate_Lin-IN.zip

Symantec Data Loss Prevention Endpoint Agents

10.x and earlier

All

Update to Symantec DLP 10.5 Agent and apply

Symantec_DLP_10.5.3_Agent_Win-IN.zip

Symantec Data Loss Prevention Enforce/Detection Servers for Windows

11.x

All

Update to Symantec DLP 11.1

Symantec Data Loss Prevention Enforce/Detection Servers for Linux

11.x

All

Update to Symantec DLP 11.1

Symantec Data Loss Prevention Endpoint Agents

11.x

All

Update to Symantec DLP 11.1

Products Not Affected

Symantec IM Manager does NOT use the vulnerable content filtering process of the Verity Filter and is not vulnerable to this issue.

However, since Symantec IM Manager currently ships with an affected version of the Verity Filter an update to the Verity Filter will be made available to IM Manager customers in an upcoming release.

Details
Symantec was notified of a buffer overflow vulnerability identified in the Lotus Freelance Graphics PRZ file Viewer contained in Autonomy’s Verity KeyView Filter shipped and installed with the identified Symantec products. This vulnerability can potentially be targeted during the content filtering process run against incoming specifically formatted files. Attempted exploitation results, depending on the product involved in the processing, range from no impact to a crash of the child process with negligible impact, an application crash or, in specific instances, potentially an elevated privilege compromise of the targeted application.

Symantec Mail Security for Domino runs the Verity Filter out-of-process by default preventing attack attempts from crashing the application. However, the process runs at the same elevated privilege as the application which could potentially still allow a possible privilege application compromise in a successful exploit attempt. Symantec Mail Security for Microsoft Exchange runs the Verity Filter as part of the elevated application process which could potentially result in a denial of service crashing the application or possibly an elevation of privilege compromise in the event of a successful exploit. Customers running SMSDOM or SMSME should update to the non-vulnerable versions identified above or implement the workarounds described below until updates can be deployed.

In the Symantec BrightMail/Messaging Gateway and Symantec Data Loss Prevention products,the Verity KeyView Filter processes have been separated from the Symantec application processes (out-of-process) and run with limited privileges. This out-of-process method specifically addresses these types of security concerns. Any attempt to exploit the Verity KeyView Filter results in process termination of the offending thread and an error message generated to and handled by the specific application(s).However, non-vulnerable versions of the Verity Filter will be made available to customers as indicated above.

Symantec knows of no exploitation of or adverse customer impact from these issues.

Update Information

Updates will be available through customers’ normal support/download locations.

SMS for Domino and Microsoft Exchange updates are available through the Platinum Support Web Site for Platinum customers or through the FileConnect -Electronic Software Distribution web site.

Temporary Workaround for Symantec Mail Security for Domino
Installations of SMS for Domino that do not utilize the Content Filtering capabilities of the product are not susceptible to this issue. SMS for Domino would be susceptible only if the attachment content scanning option is enabled.

As an interim workaround, administrators unable to upgrade to the recommended solution may disable content filtering rules that contain parameters that specify scanning of attachment content. The rules do not need to be deleted, only disabled until the updated release is installed.

To disable the content filtering rules for Symantec Mail Security for Domino

Select the "Content Filtering" tab to display the list of current enabled rules

Click on the checkmark to the left of any rules that utilize attachment content filtering, changing it to a red "X", and disabling the rule

Temporary Workaround for Symantec Mail Security for Microsoft Exchange
Installations of SMS for Microsoft Exchange that do not utilize the Content Filtering capabilities of the product are not susceptible. SMS for Microsoft Exchange is susceptible only if the attachment content scanning option is enabled.

As an interim workaround, administrators unable to upgrade to the recommended solution may disable content filtering rules that contain parameters that specify scanning of attachment content. The rules do not need to be deleted, only disabled until the updated release is installed.

To disable the content filtering rules for SMS for Microsoft Exchange:

Select the "Policies" tab and then choose "Content Filtering" to display the list of currently enabled rules

Ensure that all rules using attachment content are "disabled"

Temporary Workaround for Symantec Brightmail and Symantec Messaging Gateway
Risk from this vulnerability is limited on installations of Symantec Brightmail and Symantec MessagingGateway in which the attachment content scanning option is enabled. However, installations that do not utilize the Content Filtering capabilities of the product are not susceptible to this issue.

As an interim workaround, administrators unable to upgrade to the recommended solution may disable content filtering rules that contain parameters that specify scanning of attachment content. The rules do not need to be deleted, only disabled until the updated release is installed.

To disable the content filtering rules for Symantec Brightmail and Symantec Messaging Gateway:

Log into the management console and navigate to the SMTP Scanning Settings screen

Disable the item "Enable searching of non-plain text attachments for words in dictionaries", by deselecting the checkbox, and saving

Disable any Compliance policies with a condition:

"If any part of the message matches" (or "does not match") a regular expression, pattern or Record Resource.

"If text in Attachment content part of the message . . . "

Temporary Workaround for Symantec IM Manager

While Symantec IM Manager does not use the vulnerable component of the Verity Filter; concerned customers may disable file typing on installations of Symantec IM Manager until an updated version is available.

Run under the principle of least privilege where possible to limit the impact of exploit by threats.

Keep all operating systems and applications updated with the latest vendor patches.

Follow a multi-layered approach to security. Run both firewall and anti-malware applications, at a minimum, to provide multiple points of detection and protection to both inbound and outbound threats.

Deploy network and host-based intrusion detection systems to monitor network traffic for signs of anomalous or suspicious activity. This may aid in detection of attacks or malicious activity related to exploitation of latent vulnerabilities

Credit
Symantec credits alino from binaryhouse.net working through iDefense Labs, for identifying this issue.

CVE: This issue is a candidate for inclusion in the CVE list (http://cve.mitre.org), which standardizes names for security problems. The CVE initiative has assigned CVE-2011-0548.

Symantec takes the security and proper functionality of our products very seriously. As founding members of the Organization for Internet Safety (OISafety), Symantec supports and follows responsible disclosure guidelines.

Please contact secure@symantec.com if you feel you have discovered a security issue in a Symantec product. A member of the Symantec Product Security team will contact you regarding your submission to coordinate any required response. Symantec strongly recommends using encrypted email for reporting vulnerability information to secure@symantec.com. The Symantec Product Security PGP key can be found at the location below.

Symantec has developed a Product Vulnerability Response document outlining the process we follow in addressing suspected vulnerabilities in our products. This document is available below.

Copyright (c) by Symantec Corp.

Permission to redistribute this alert electronically is granted as long as it is not edited in any way unless authorized by Symantec Product Security. Reprinting the whole or part of this alert in any medium other than electronically requires permission from secure@symantec.com

Disclaimer

The information in the advisory is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing based on currently available information. Use of the information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are no warranties with regard to this information. Neither the author nor the publisher accepts any liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage arising from use of, or reliance on, this information.

Symantec, Symantec products, Symantec Product Security, and secure@symantec.com are registered trademarks of Symantec Corp. and/or affiliated companies in the United States and other countries. All other registered and unregistered trademarks represented in this document are the sole property of their respective companies/owners.